Spray gun



June 1, 1937. y A. F. JENKINS l2,082,061

.1925'- ufff/2f in r nl Junel l, 1937.

A. F; JENKINS SPRAY GUN Filed Jan. 12, A1935 2 sheets-snede Patented` June 1, 193'] UNITED 4STATES PATENT orgies- :,osaoei i sraY GUN s alexander' F. Jenkins, Baltimore, Md. .application January 12,- 1935, serial No. 1,554

1o claims. (o1. a99-140.1)

This invention relates to spray guns and the like and more particularly to devices of this character by means of which paint or similar liquid coating material may be sprayed by means of compressed air; such, for instance, as is dis- 'closed in my copending application Ser. No.

714,766, flied March 9, 1934.

'I'he general object of the present invention is 20 ,ferentially altering the setting of the valve assemblies controlling respectively the coating fluid and air, so as to lpermit the delivery of these fluids in various predetermined proportions.

' Otherobjects include the provision of means whereby the simultaneous adjustment of the valve assemblies or n ow control mechanism may be efl'ected in different ratios and also means for intermittently adjusting one of the valves during the continuous adjustment movement of thenther by the common adjusting means,

'Ihe provision of novel and exceedingly convenient adjustable stop means for readily retaining the synchronous valve setting mechanisrn in any of a plurality of selectedvpositions; constitutes another important feature of the invention.

Further objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specication whenvread in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certain embodiments of my invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings: l

Figure l is a substantially. fullV` size vertical longitudinal sectional view of a spray gun embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the rear end of the gun showing the valve adjusting mechanism;

Figure 3 is an end view of the same portion of the gun;

Figures 4 and'5 are views inv vertical section and elevation respectively of a modified form of nozzle: i a

Figure 6 isa fragmentary view in verticalv longitudinal section of a portion of the spray gun there is an excess illustrating a modincation in the air controlling means;

Figure 7 is afragmentaryview in ytransverse section illustrating the adjusting gearing and taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2i Figures' and 9 are similar views mustratmg modifications in the gearing:

Figures 10-15 inclusive are diagrams showing vthe relative shape and size of the -area covered by a blast `from the spray gun when the valve adjusting lever occupies the positions indicated;

' and also illustrating the e'ect of the proper proportioning of the coating material and air by means of my invention;

Figure 16 shows graphically the effect of a disproportionate regul tion of the fluids in which coating material in the spray; and i.

Figure 17 illustr es the effect of an excess of air with relation to the coating material.

The spray gun indicated generally by the numeral I in the drawings-icomprises a body having a forward portion il and a rearward 'portion I2 connected by a narrow intermediate part i3. The gun is provided with the handle or grip Il, the spray nozzle indicated generally at I -and a hook |1- for supporting the gun when not being used. During operation, the suppliesl of coating material and compressed air are turned on and oil! by means of the trigger' i6 disposed conveniently with respect to the grip Il andoperatively associated withA the supply valves later to 'be described. This trigger and. its associated connections will be referred to in general as the actuating means for the gun in contradistinction to the controlling, regulating, or setting means employed in predetermining the ow of air and liquid which will l'presently be described.

Suitable connections are made with the nipple i I8 for the introduction of the coating fluid to the forward portionA Il of the gun. From the nipple I8 the uid passes through the vertical passageway I9 and then enters the horizontal passageway 20 drilled in the, inner nozzle member 2il y which is threaded as at 22 into the forward body portion Il. The front end of the nozzle portion 2| converges and forms -a narrow opening 23 which is controlled by the needle valve 24 at the forward end of the elongated valve stem 2l. Rearwardly the valve stem passes through the stuffing box 26 and carries upon its end the preferably cylindrical abutment member. 28 which is adapted to be engaged by the trigger`r lin opening the coating fluid controlling needle valve. The member 28 is guided within a bore located in the rearv body portion and is resiliently urged forwardly toward valve closing position by spring means which will be later` described.

The inner nozzle member 2| is surroundedvby 5 a skirt portion 30 which may be integrally formed therewith or comprised in a separate element.

bers are fitted to the outer periphery of the- The grooves 32" central nozzle member 2|'. take the place of the openings 32 in the prior embodiment, and the inner surfaces of the lands 33 fit snugly against the outer cylindrical wall of the member 2l' and against the shoulder 34 l of the hexagonal head of the member 2|'.

A nozzle cap or head 35 is secured to the forward body portion Il' of the gun by means ofthe threaded collar I6. This cap is provided with shoulders which fit snugly against the tapering outer surface of the portion 30 as at 31. The front wall of the cap is provided with an opening which surrounds the projecting tip of the inner nozzle member 2i to provide the annular orifice 40 which provides a jet of propelling air for cooperating with the paint jet from the central opening 23. the chamber 3i in the inner nozzle member from the annular groove 42 in the forward body portion I l which is in communication with the source of supply by means of the inclined passageway 43 communicating with the longitudinal main air passage 45 leading from the rear body portion l2 of the gun. The nozzle cap 35 is provided with two diametrically opposltely disposed projections 46 which are drilled to provide the passageways 41 for the spray modifying air jets. The bores 41 are closedl at their rearward ends by means of the screw plugs 48 and communicate with the chamber 49 provided between the cap 35 and the inner frusto-conical nozzle member 30. An inwardly directed flange 50 is' seated against the 'forward faceof the body member of the gun, covers-the annular groove. ll, and is provided with the air openings 52. .The

groove 5l receives the air from the passageway.

|54 which communicates with the main air pasage 45 beyond the valve seat 5B. This passage is controlled bye the needle valve 58 carried at the forward end of the elongated valve stem l0.

, The rear body portion l2 i's provided with the passageway 52 which connects the common air passage 45 withthe longitudinal bore 83.

.This bore Yis provided with a valve seat 64 with which the ball valve 65 cooperates. The valve 65 is carried on the rear end of the stem Bi, the forward end of which is abutted by the trigger ()l I6 in operating the gun. The ball valve'is urged against its seat by means of the coil spring j 61 which is seated rearwardly against the plug 88 which is threaded into the rear end of the gun. Rearwardly of the valve f65 the `bore 63 is cono5 nected, through the conduit B9 which passes through the handle I4, with the nipple 10 which provides means for connecting the gun with an air hose leading from a suitable source oi compressed air supply. Thus far, it will bev perceived that the needle 'valve 58 and the ballvalve 85 `together constitute an air flow contrblling means for the gun, the needle valve 58 regulating the rate of :dow to the spray modifying jets by adjusting the size of the opening at the valve seat 55, $11.@ the ball The propelling air enters" valve 4l having but a slight regulatory eifect` on the air flow, being employed primarily to start and stop the iiow of air through the gun. The connection betweenthe trigger II and the paint valve controllingrabutmentmember 28 has already been described andit will now be seen that when the trigger is moved rearwardly this air control and the paint control will be simul-Jl taneously' actuated.

In order to provide a finer regulation or adjustment of the total air flow, including both the so-called propelling air supply through the annular orifice 4l in the nomle and the spray modifying or flattening air through the supplemental jets, an arrangement such as is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings may be employed. In this embodiment, the common passageway 45 is constricted as at 1! and there is threaded, or otherwise adjustably secured, upon theneedle valve sternl B0', the annular sleeve or enlargement 12.'

It will be readily seen that movement of the enlarged portion 12 past the constriction 1l will vary the opening through the passageway and thus control the total air ilow to the nozzle.

It will also be understood that by the provision of appropriate adjustment or regulating means for the air modifying needle valve Il and the paint needle valve 24, it will be possible to secure sizes. Furthermore, by suitable means, individual relative adjustments or settings of the valve assemblies may be attained for materials of diiferent viscosities and for various other purposes. With the relative individual control adjustmentsmade, a simultaneous adjustment can be effectedl to obtain various cross-sectional l (shapes of sprays and different volumes of sprayed material. The mechanism provided for these purposes in connection with the present invention will now be described.

In the case of the eemplary embodiment illustrated herein, in order to control the extent of rearward movement of the paint controlling needle valve stem -25 and thus the rate or volume of flow. there is positioned within the bore 14, within which the abutment 2l is guided, a' follower or stop head 16 carried by a stem 1l which .is received within and guided by the sleeve 11'. The rear end of the stem 1l is provided with an attenuated portion 1l which is threaded within the narrowed rear portion of the sleeve 11. It will thus be seen that there is provided, in 'eifect, `a telescoping or extensible follower or stop member which may be shortened or lengthened by relative rotation which may be effected by the application of a suitable tool to the end 10 of the stem-1liy With a given position of the sleeve 11 the shortening or lengthening ofthe element -by the projection or retraction ofthe head- 15 will afford an individual setting of the control means for the paint ivalve stem 25. The outer sleeve member I1 of the adjustable stop is prosprays of coating material of various shapes and vided with the threads of relatively great 'lead y Can l 9,082,061 Athegear portion 84 and the manipulating handle 85, the handle beingbifurcated and clamped to the extreme end of the bushing 83 as by means of the screw 81. V

The adjusting mechanism for the modifyingair needle valve 58 associated with thegstem 60 or 60' for controlling the air flow is very similar to that just described in connection with the paint valve. The rearward portion 90 of the stem 60 is narrowed and. is received within the elongated sleeve 92, Iwhich is provided with an interna1ly` threaded portion 93 adaptedto receive the attenuated threaded end 95 of the valve stem. This construction provides an individual adjustment of the air valve 58 which may be eifected by applying a tool at the end 98 of the valve stem. y The sleeve member 92 is provided with the quick acting threads 98 which cooperate with the' internally threaded plug member 99 secured within the rear end of the air conduit 45. It will be noted here that the threads 98 are of opposite hand to the-corresponding threads 80 of the paint valve control assembly. A bushing |00 is keyed to the sleeve member 92 by means of the key |0| which is guided in the key-way 0 l formed `in the sleeve member 92. The'bushing |00 is urged forwardly upon the member 82 so as to abut the extended rear end of the plug 99, by means of the coil spring |02 which is seated against the nut |04 threaded upon the rear end of the sleeve 92. The bushing |00 carries the gear |05 which may be formed integrally therewith and which meshes with the gear 84 carried by the sleeve 83 i of the paint `valve adjusting mechanism. It will thus be seen that rotation of the paint control bushing 83 with. its gear 84 willl cause acorresponding rotation of the air control bushing l|00 but in the opposite direction and the respective threaded sleeves 11 and 92 will be moved forl wardly or rearwardly together with their air and porting or enclosing means for certain of the controlling members, a bracket ||0 is applied to the projecting ends ofthe bushings 83 and |00 and secured in position as by means of the set'screwJ l I2 which is Ithreaded into the post ||3 carried by the lowermost plug 6.8. Flanges ||5 and ||6 formed respectively on the bushings 83 and |00 serve to maintain the relative positions of the bracket ||0 andV the controlling elements. The larger circular portion of the bracket ||0 shown best at I 8 in Figure 3, is provided with the .gradug ations H 9 which indicate the setting of the handle member, 85. Adjustable stop members |20 may-be positioned at various points along the graduated portion-||9 as by means of the bolt and vnut connections |2| which pass through the arcuate opening |22 inthe member ||8. These stop members are provided with notches |23 adapted for the reception'of the resiliently projected pawl |24 carried within the handle member 85. It will be readily seen that upon rotation of the handle 85 the pawl |24 will snap into and out of the notches |23 of the stop members |20, and thus the desired settings may be accurately touch, and frequently recurring settings will be repeatedly attained with great accuracy. The lowermost stop or retaining member |20 may be provided with a projecting -lug |25 which will positively prevent further movement-of the handle 85 beyond this setting.

-\In Figure 7, the gearing 84 and |05 are shown just as illustrated in the previously described.

figures. However, this gearing may be modified to secure certain desired results. In Figure 8 the gears 84' and |05' are of a different diameter and thus a differential adjustment of the paint valve and the sprayv modifying valve assemblies may be obtained by the single manipulative means. In Figure 9 the gears 84" and |05" are `provided withl toothless portion |30 whereby an intermittent operation of one with-respect to the other may be attained. By this vmeans both very broad evenly distributed spray is obtained which covers considerable area. Successive downward adjustments of the handle 85 produce- 'ilow regulating means may be adjusted'through a y correspondingly narrowed spray forms until a point may be reached at which the modifying spray is entirely cut oli' and a small circular spray is attained. Of course, the shape and size of the successive spray patterns obtained by rotating the handle 85 may be modified by-the individal adjustments of the paint and` air valves by altering the extensibility of the stem and follower members described. This vis necessary, for example, when a change is made from a coating liquid of one viscosity to one of another viscosity.

A graphic illustration of the results of the faulty regulation ofthe relative quantities of coating liquid and air supplied tothe nozzle is found in Figures 16 and 17. In the 'case of the sprayed area |30 shown in the former figure, the

flow of coating material is too great with respect to the flow of air and the excess paint forms a thick coating'which spreads, drips, or runs as 4 indicated at |32. In spraying the area |33 of Figure 17, there was a deficiency of paint or an excess of air and as a result the coating fluid was practically blown away and only a faint thin Y coating was applied. Such diiiiculties as these are common faults attendant upon the hit-or- `miss individualadjustments common to the spray guns in general use today.

Various changes and modifications may be made inthe embodiments illustrated and de -scribed herein without departing from the scope 'of the'invention as defined in the following claims. Also, the device described may be employed for the spraying of various, liquids, the term paint being used in an exemplary sense only.

secured at these points merely by the sense of f meansfor controlling the starting andstopping '75 vof ilow through said passageways, actuating means for said last named means; said regulating means comprising a longitudinally movable needle valve in said air passageway, a member connected with said valve and threaded within said body portion, a longitudinally movable valve in said liquid passageway and a movable abutment member for limiting the extent of opening of said liquid valve, said movable abutment mem- ,ber also beingthreaded within said body portion, said abutment member and said movable needle valve in said air passageway, a member connected with said valve and threaded within said body portion, a longitudinally movable valve in said liquid passageway anda movablev abutment member for limiting the extent of opening of said liquid valve, said movable abutment member also being' threaded within said body portion, said abutment member and said movable air valve connected member being geared to- -gether for simultaneous rotation, a common manipulative means connected with the gearing for effecting a vsynchronized. adjustment of both valve mechanisms, said abutment and said air valve controlling member each being longitudinally extensible, and separate means respectively embodied in said members for extending' and contracting them-whereby individual settings of said valve mechanisms may be edected.

` 3. A spraying device of the class described cornprising, in combination, a body portion provided with a nozzle' and liquid andair passageways leading thereto, a valve in the air passageway, a needle valve in the liquid passageway, a trigger operatively connected with each of' said valves foractuation to start and stop the flow of iluid through said passageways, means for regulating the rate of flow through each of said passageways, the regulating means for the air comprising a third valve disposed in said air .passageway and a member longitudinally movable with respect to the body portion of the device for. setting said valve at adjusted degrees of opening, the regulating means for the liquid including an abutment member movable with respect to said-body,R portion so as to be disposed at adjusted limiting positions in the path of movevment of said needle valve, common means for simultaneously moving said first named member and said abutment member to eifect synchronous setting of both of said regulating means for predetermined rates .of ilow to be effective upon operation of said actuating means to `start flow through said passageway.

4. A spray gun for the application of coating material or the like to surfaces, in which the density of spray and shape of the spray pattern maybe varied in accordance with the work to be-done, comprising in combination a body portion provided with a nozzle and liquid and air passageways leading theretofmeans ior regulatindependent of saidv trigger member operating directly upon both of said flow regulating means to set them for predetermined rates of ilow t6 be effective upon operation oi said actuating trigger member to start ilow through said passageways. 5. A spray gun for the application of coating material or the like to surfaces, in which the density of spray and shape of the spray pattern Y may be varied in accordance with ,the work to be done, comprising in combination a body portion provided with a nozzle and liquid and air passagewa'ys leading thereto, means for regulating the rate of flow through each of said passageways in order to determine the density of the spray and the shape of the spray pattern lin accordance with the nature of the coating to be `applied, means for effecting the starting and stopping of flow through said passageways, a

common actuating member 'for said last named.

` means, and a common means operating directly upon both of said ilow regulating means to set them for predetermined ratesoffdiow to be effective upon operation of saldi actuating means to start flow through said passageways, each of said iiow regulating means including means for individually setting them independentlyy of said common setting means. v

6. A spray gun fo the application of coating material or the li to surfaces, in which the density of spray a d shape of the spray pattern may be varied in cordance with the work to be done, comprising in combination a body portion provided with a ndgzle and liquid and airpassageways leading thereto, means for regulating the rate of flow through'each of said passageways in order to determine lthe density of the spray and the shape of the spray pattern in accordance -with the nature of the coating to be applied, means for effecting the starting and stopping of iiow through said passageways, a

common actuating member for said last named.

means, the regulating means for each passageway including a rigid, extensible and contractible member one end of which is movable to enect said regulation and also including means for.

extending and' contracting said member for effecting an individual setting of said regulating means, and a common means operating directly upon saidextensible and contractible members for simultaneously moving both of them bodily for attaining a synchronous setting for both of said now regulating means for predetermined rates of iiow to be effective upon operation of said actuating means to start now through said paasageways.

'7. A spray gun for the application of coating material or the like to surfaces, in which the density of spray and shape of the spray pattern may be varied in accordance with the work to be done, comprising in combination a body portion provided with a nossle and liquid and air 'passageways leading thereto, means for .regulating the rate of ilow through each of said passageways in order to determine the density of the spray and the shape of the spray pattern in accordance with the nature of the coating to be applied, means for eifecting the starting and stopping of ow through said passageways,` -a common actuating member for said last named means, the regulating means for each passageway including a rigid extensible and contracti'ble y justments of the ratefof ow of the paint and I applied, means for eiecting the starting and.

stopping of iiow -through said passageways, a

air respectively may be obtained, each of said members being threaded into said body portion,

a common manipulating means for simultaneously rotating both of said members with respect to said body portion, whereby byl means of said threaded -,connection both of said members are bodily advanced or retracted for attaining a synchronous setting for both of said regulating means for predetermined rates of oW to be effective upon operation of said actuating means to start iiow through said passageways, and means for preventing rotation of said members with respect to said body portion during such individual adjustment. v

8. A spray gun for the application of coating material or the like to surfaces, in which the -density of spray and shape of the spray pattern.

may be varied in accordance with the work to. be done, comprising in combination a body portion provided with a nozzle and liquid and air passageways leading thereto, means for regulating the rate of flow through each of said passageways in order to determine the density of the spray and the shape of the spray pattern in accordance with the nature of the coating to be common actuating member for said last named means, the regulating means for each passageway including a rigid, extensible and contractible member one end of which is movable to eifect said regulation, each of said members comprising telescoping elements one threaded within the other, each of said members also including means for rotating one of its elements with respect to the other thusl independently extending or contracting said members whereby individual `adjustments of the rate of iiow of the paint and air respectively may be obtained, each of' said members being threaded i'nto said body portion, gears mounted on each of said members and directly meshing with each other, said gears thus connecting said members together for simultaneous rotation with respect to the body portion,

and manually operable means connected with one of said members for effecting said rotation, whereby by means of said threaded connection both of said members are bodily advanced or retracted for attaining a synchronous setting of both of said flow regulating means for predetermined rates of-fiow to be effective upon operation of said actuating means to start ilow through saidpassageways.

9. A spray device as set forth in claim 8 in which said gears are of the mutilated type whereby intermittent operation of one of said members may be effected during operation of the other` of said members.

10. A spray gun for the application of coating material or the like to surfaces with a predetermined density of vspray and shape of the spray pattern, comprising in combination a body portion provided with a nozzleand liquid and air passageways leading thereto, means for regulating the rate of ow through each of said passage- Ways in order to control the density of the spray and the shape of the spray pattern in accordance with the nature of the coating to be applied, means for eiecting the starting and stopping of flow through said passageways, a common actuating member for said last named means, the regulating means for each passageway including a rigid, extensible and contractible member one end of which is movable to eiect said regulation each of said members comprising telescoping elements one threaded within the other,

each of said members also including means forI rotating one of its elements with respect to the other thus independently extending or contracting said members, whereby individual adjustments of the rate of iiow of the paint and air respectively may be obtained, each of said members being threadedl into said body portion, a common manipulating means for simultaneously rotating both of said members with respect to said body portion, whereby by means of said threaded connection both of said members are l ting of the individual adjustments.

ALEXANDER F. JENKINS. 

